Chapter 65

"Commissioned by the municipal party committee and government, I am here to welcome all of you. I am honored and excited. Because, although the comrades present are young, you are a team with very strong ideological, political, and professional qualities. You are role models selected by various provincial departments, and can be considered the elites and vanguards of various industries. The provincial party committee has sent you to Yinyin City to support agriculture, which is the greatest support and encouragement for Yinyin City."

"Starting from today, the Municipal Organization Department and I will do our best to serve everyone. If you do well, the credit belongs to you, and the organization will recognize you; if you don't do well, it means that Yinyin City has not served you well. But I believe that as long as we treat the people we support as family and treat Yinyin City as our own home, we will certainly do a good job and make the provincial party committee satisfied. I hope everyone is as confident as I am."

It has to be admitted that although Li Mi, the Minister of the Municipal Organization Department of Yinyin City, is young, just listening to his speech shows that he is quite capable. Li Mi is only in his thirties, and to be in this position, regardless of his background, it can be said that his political skills have reached a certain level.

This welcoming speech made everyone feel elated. The reason Li Mi thought this way was based on an accurate understanding of the psychology of the agricultural support cadres. These cadres had just arrived in Yinyin City, and they were all uncertain, secretly wondering what kind of work environment they would face, how the local government would treat them, and what value the local government would place on them. Li Mi's words were like a reassurance to everyone. Although the content was a bit vague, it made everyone feel warm, and they realized that the local government valued the agricultural support cadres. They also felt the weight of their mission, which was very honorable. Listen to what the Minister of the Municipal Organization Department said: Yinyin City will be infused with a fresh blood, and I, on behalf of the municipal party committee, government, and the eight million people of Yinyin City, welcome you! What vivid language, what a grand welcome speech!

The person who came from the Provincial Organization Department to see off Cheng Jie and his group was Deputy Section Chief Mi Chaotong. He was tall and thin, older than Li Mi, but his spirit was overshadowed by Li Mi's vigor.

Cheng Jie observed these two people and analyzed secretly that although Mi Chaotong came from a higher-level agency, he was not on the same level as Li Mi, who held the power of the Yinyin City Organization Department.

Moreover, he was older than Li Mi.

Thinking about Li Mi's speech, Cheng Jie couldn't help but recall the mobilization meeting a few days ago. At the meeting, the Provincial Party Secretary Liu Chuanrui and the head of the Provincial Organization Department attended. Now, in Yinyin City, they were only greeted by Li Mi, the Minister of the Organization Department.

Was there something behind this? After thinking for a while, Cheng Jie shifted his thoughts to other aspects. His current goal was to become a deputy section chief, and such high-level matters were beyond his reach.

"Comrades, this time you are going down to the countryside with the temporary status of deputy township chief. I hope you not only go in body but also in heart. Only by going in heart can you truly take root!"

The audience applauded loudly. After Li Mi finished speaking, as a leader from the Provincial Organization Department, Mi Chaotong also made a brief speech. His speech had only three points: take root in the grassroots, obey the leadership, and work diligently. It sounded not only lacking in momentum but also dry.

Cheng Jie found that although Mi Chaotong had a solid theoretical foundation, his speaking skills were far inferior to Li Mi's. Was this the aura of a leader? Without power, one naturally lacked confidence?

Thinking about the differences between Mi Chaotong and Li Mi, Cheng Jie suddenly remembered a saying: "An advisor without a title is like a fart that doesn't make a sound," and he smiled silently.

The meeting lasted only half an hour. After a brief rest at the somewhat dilapidated Yinyin Hotel, the welcome banquet for the agricultural support cadres began.

The so-called welcome banquet was just a few tables set up in the hall. Cheng Jie and his group of forty agricultural support cadres sat together. At the head table were Mi Chaotong, Li Mi, and a few other leaders who looked like they were from the Yinyin City Organization Department.

After Li Mi and the others were seated, he noticed that there were still a few empty seats at his table and said with a smile, "The average age at this table is a bit high. Deputy Section Chief Mi, would you please invite a few young comrades to join us to balance the average age?"

"Minister Li's suggestion is good. I'll call a few people over," Mi Chaotong smiled at Li Mi and looked around.

The hall was not large, and the agricultural support cadres, being new to the city, were all listening attentively to the leaders at the head table. Therefore, they heard Li Mi's words clearly.

Seeing Mi Chaotong's gaze, they all smiled and raised their heads. Although they came to Yinyin City to gain experience, if they could catch the eye of the Minister of the Municipal Organization Department during the next three years, it would be a golden path to promotion. Who could deny that?

After scanning the room, Mi Chaotong called out, "Li Jinhu, Luo Qingfeng, you two come over."

There were still empty seats! Many people envied these two lucky ones and stared at Mi Chaotong, hoping he would choose them.

Cheng Jie also yearned for this opportunity. He came to Yinyin City with ambitions. He wanted not only to stand out among the forty people but also to compete for a deputy section chief position among the more than four hundred agricultural support cadres in the province, to be promoted exceptionally.

If he could leave a deep impression on a powerful figure like Li Mi, it would be like starting to mine and develop the political resources of Yinyin City! Cheng Jie sincerely hoped that Mi Chaotong would choose him.

After reading the diary countless times, Cheng Jie was more convinced that in this society, relationships were resources. He and Mi Chaotong had only just met today. Why would Mi Chaotong leave such a face-saving opportunity for him?

"Dou Qing, you come over too!" Mi Chaotong paused for a moment and said again.

When he said this, many people sighed inwardly. After all, the three seats were filled, and even if others had ideas, they could only remain ideas.

Of the three chosen by Mi Chaotong, Cheng Jie only had an impression of Li Jinhu. Li Jinhu was a skilled socializer, and Cheng Jie already thought he was extraordinary. Now that Mi Chaotong mentioned him first, it made Cheng Jie have a deeper understanding of Li Jinhu.

Just as he was observing Li Jinhu, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became quiet. The person Mi Chaotong had called did not move at all.

Cheng Jie was also puzzled. Just as he was wondering who Dou Qing was, he noticed that everyone's gaze was fixed on a girl sitting nearby. The girl, who was sitting next to him, said indifferently, "I'm fine here. I don't need to go over."

If Dou Qing had said this at an ordinary gathering, it wouldn't have been a big deal. But in this context, it seemed inappropriate and disrespectful.

As a young girl, she was already attracting attention, and with her delicate features and long hair, she looked even more appealing.

Mi Chaotong had chosen her, perhaps partly because of a man's appreciation for beauty. Even if he didn't intend to embrace her, a closer interaction would be nice.

But no one expected her to completely ignore him. This made the atmosphere in the room drop to an icy point. Mi Chaotong was embarrassed. As the leader who brought the group to Yinyin City, he was like an imperial envoy, but he couldn't put on airs in front of Li Mi.

This was already frustrating enough, and now his own people were not giving him face, which was truly unexpected and embarrassing!

Just as he was in a very awkward position, someone stood up and said, "Deputy Section Chief Mi, you always understand the young comrades. Dou Qing was carsick earlier and doesn't have the energy to eat. If she goes over, she probably won't even be able to pour a glass of wine."

"We are your troops, and if the representative you chose can't complete this honorable mission, it won't show our respect for Minister Li. I have a good tolerance for alcohol, so let me go over and pour a glass of wine for Minister Li and the other leaders, to show our determination and enthusiasm."

Seeing the young man stand up and speak, Mi Chaotong's face relaxed. At least he had a way to save face in front of everyone! He smiled and said, "Oh, I feel ashamed. It seems I haven't shown enough concern for the comrades, especially the young female comrades. Minister Li, please send someone to get some medicine for carsickness for Comrade Dou Qing."

As he spoke, he looked at Cheng Jie and said, "Young man, since you want to be a hero, come over and let Minister Li and the other leaders test your fighting spirit."

Mi Chaotong's humor eased the tension in the hall, and Li Mi also looked at Cheng Jie with a warm expression, feeling more favorably towards this young man.

After all, this was his home turf, and although it was Mi Chaotong who lost face, he also felt uncomfortable. In the previous situation, it wouldn't have been appropriate for him to intervene. This young man had quietly helped the embarrassed Mi Chaotong, which made him feel quite comfortable.

Cheng Jie walked over and sat next to Li Jinhu. As soon as he sat down, Li Jinhu smiled warmly at him.

"Here, let's have the first toast. I represent the Municipal Party Committee and Yinyin City." As Li Mi spoke, he was the first to raise his glass, and everyone else stood up.

Cheng Jie raised his glass and drank it in one go. As he sat down, he accidentally caught Dou Qing's gaze. She quickly looked away.

"I'm not planning to chase after you, so why are you looking at me like that!"

PS: Please support with recommendations, collections, clicks, and all kinds of votes! Thank you everyone!